90 gal build out

[powderhogg01]

hey guys and gals, I am new here and looking to switch my 90 gallon freshwater into a saltwater reef. I have read some books and done a lot of reading online, I have also been lurking on this site for a while now just learning. Well its time for me to come out of the shadows and enjoy the views in the reef.
I am planning a mixed reef tank with lots of bio-diversity. I am planning on drilling the tank for a beananimal style overflow with a C2C weir. I will be using a 75 gallon tank as the sump, I still do not know what return pump I will be using. I am considering the vertex omega 180i for the protein skimmer, I am planning on using 2 vortec MP10's for circulation, I have been looking at the radion leds from ecotech for lighting, using their apex controller to run the show.
I am going to start the tank with just some live rock and sand from a friend and slowly add more dry rock and small bits of liverock as the tank gets seeded. the goal is to have about 100 lbs of live rock and a sand bed of about 2 inches.
my end goal is to have a coral heavy tank with lots of small inverts and some colorful fish, though I have not landed on any 1 stocking list. (feel free to send suggestions my way)
am I on the right track here? please let me know what would be adjusted and why, curious to see what yall have to say. I am anxious and excited to begin this process, while I love my planted FW tanks, they have never had that appeal of a reef tank, its time to make it happen.

 

[Teenreefer15]

I would recommend using the Herbie style overflow instead of the one you have in mind. The herbie is so much more popular so you can get help on youtube when you run into problems. It is also completely silent and prevents floods ahead of time. This uses two overflows, one is backup incase the main one gets clogged. Im also assuming your doing a refugium right? I know this sounds crazy but BRS does it and you should hear what they have to say about it. Running a Kessil 150 Amazon sun with some chaeto algae in the refuge would reduce nitrates outstandingly. Making an even deeper sandbed in there would be ideal too. Im sure after having the chaeto for a while you will start pulling large ammounts out every week which you can sell or trade in to your LFS for credit. If you have any other questions just ask.

 

[powderhogg01]

@nbryan74 ~ why would you go with the herbie over the C2C style beananimal? I am just curious here, I have read so many different things about both systems, I feel confident in drilling my own tanks, and really kind of like the look of the C2C style over flow.
I am leaning this way as 2 inches near the top of the tank to me is a lot better looking then both corners or the central overflow design. Since I have the luxury of making this tank exactly how I want or think I want it I would like the most advice possible. My plan was to do the three holes in the top of the tank, keeping the water level right at the trim line.

 

[formsix]

A colorful tank with lots of inverts, colorful fish, and corals!???!! Sounds like my kind of tank!!

I have a 75g (48x22x16) that is invert heavy and I love it. If you haven't already looking into Tampa Bay Saltwater as a potential for rocks and to jump start your tank, I suggest that you consider it. We started with the TBS package, and I absolutely cannot imagine getting the kind of diversity we got in any other way. We have starfish (serpents, brittles, and a common one), urchins (pincushion and long-spine -- only one is an adult, the rest came in as small hitchhikers, and we've actually traded some in at the LFS as they've grown), flame scallop, hermit crabs, porcelain crabs, decorator crab, a few "bad" crabs that were kinda fun to catch, barnacles, lots of random bivalves attached to the rocks, sponges, tunicates, peppermint shrimp, worms, many types of snails including limpets, gorgonians galore, cup corals on the rocks, etc. Plus you get all the live bacteria and other goodness in the rock that we only hope we're adding back in when we start from dry rock. And... you don't have to wait for the normal cycle. You still cycle the tank, but you keep the ammonia very low so that you don't hurt the critters in the tank, and you have awesome stuff to watch while all that is going on. And it's a total adventure getting those boxes from the airport.

In addition to all that stuff, we added a few more shrimp to our tank -- 2 fire shrimp, 2 striped cleaners, and 2 sexy shrimp. They're all always out and about and awesome to watch. The cleaners can be a bit of a PITA when it comes to feeding corals (they steal the food), but their general antics make up for any obnoxious behavior.

And this is our peaceful colorful stocking list -- just to give you some suggestions. Because of the sexy shrimp and feather dusters that live in my rocks I have avoided any fish that might eat them, or else fish like the yellow coris wrasse would be on my list. All these fish are on the smaller side for their type (fairy wrasse and anthias both vary from 3-5ish inches, and clowns as well).

Royal Gramma
Lubbok's Fairy Wrasse
Occelaris Clowns (pair)
Carberryi Anthias
Starry Blenny
Leopard Wrasse (only add to a well-established tank)

Other fish I've considered with this stocking list are a midas blenny, either a watchman or sleeper goby, and a tailspot blenny. Firefish and cardinals would be good too, just not my favorites. I'm also considering adding a banded pipefish to my mix -- not a beginner fish, but something that could be considered down the line with a peaceful established tank. Just some ideas!!

 

[powderhogg01]

I will be getting most of my rock and sand locally near denver colorado. I have considered having proper live rock shipped in to finish the tank. I have to admit, the package they have at tampa bay is a great deal, with a lot of solid good reviews.
I may splurrge a bit and get the package they offer, my only concern is in my noviceness to the reef and the potential for harmful critters and me not identifying them soon enough.
the live rock will be in the tank for more then a month before I put the first fish in, so hopefully by then I will have found all the bad guys

 

[mrbnx]

I'm a huge fan of a C2C. A friend did his 60G custom and it's such a cool route. If you're set to do the work, don't go the way route; go down the path that will lead you to the end result you want.

 

[powderhogg01]

the C2C really just plays into the aquasculpture I have in mind, It really will make a big difference on space inside the tank, only taking up a small amount of space at the top. I pulled the tripped and purchased all the plumbing I will need to make the beananimal style minus the union valves. I hope everything I bought works out as it should. Being that I am content on keeping the tank running with just water then adding rock as the time goes I will have plenty of time to adjust and tune the beananimal to the pump I decide to use. once my glass bit shows up I am drilling the tank out, and starting this project!

 

[powderhogg01]

got the drill bit and half the bulk heads in today. I am not sure where I intend to return the water, so for now it may route it over the top. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on where to place the 2 holes for the return. I am good with pretty much anywhere on the back of the tank, save the top 4 inches which will be the C2C weir for the bean animal.
I was going to place them in the standard spots of the middle of the tank, but wanted to see if anyone had any input there. The tank is a jebo newR3126, curved front 90. as far as any of my test have shown the glass is not tempered in the back, so thats my best bet